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At Accutrainee, we’ve had the privilege of engaging with senior legal leaders who have shared their insights on what it takes to build high-performing in-house legal teams. Drawing from their experience, we’ve boiled down the key principles into ten fundamentals. These provide a practical framework for legal teams to deliver exceptional results while remaining aligned with broader organisational objectives. If you think we have missed something or want to join the conversation, email the author at: [email protected]
1. Start with Strategy
A clear and focused strategy is the foundation of any high-performing legal team. Senior leaders emphasise the importance of creating a concise team plan that aligns directly with the organisation’s objectives. Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals ensures clarity and focus, allowing the team to prioritise high-value work while deprioritising less critical tasks.
2. Engage with Your Clients
Outstanding legal teams take the time to understand the needs of their internal clients and stakeholders. By regularly seeking feedback on what works well, what causes frustration, and where the legal team can add value, they ensure their services are tailored and efficient. This proactive approach builds trust and alignment with the business. A meeting with each department that use legal regularly can be transformative.
3. Allocate Resources Smartly
Ensuring the right people are assigned to the right tasks is essential for efficiency and effectiveness. Senior leaders recommend a structured approach to matching resources with task complexity and value. For low-risk or repetitive tasks, self-service tools, training, or templates can free up time for the legal team to focus on higher-priority work.
However, where such tools or resources are not available, Accutrainee can support with junior legal professionals. These talented individuals can assist with low-risk tasks, enabling your team to concentrate on more strategic responsibilities while maintaining cost efficiency.
4. Document and Refine Processes
Clear, documented processes are vital for consistency and efficiency. Mapping out workflows for core legal tasks helps identify inefficiencies, which can then be addressed using approaches such as Lean methodology. By documenting the “what, why, how, and when” of key processes, legal teams can improve communication, reduce waste, and ensure a consistent service.
5. Prioritise Risk and Value
Not all work is equally important. Using a risk-versus-value matrix can help in categorising tasks and ensuring the team focuses on high-impact work. This approach also aids in managing stakeholder expectations and streamlining workloads.
6. Maximise the Impact of Technology
Technology should simplify, not complicate. Before investing in new systems, ensure your existing tools are being fully utilised. Automating repetitive and high-volume tasks, and integrating workflows into processes, can significantly enhance efficiency.
7. Use Data to Drive Decisions
Data is a powerful tool for improving performance. Senior leaders recommend tracking metrics that link directly to organisational goals, such as reducing contract turnaround times or improving resource allocation efficiency. Regularly reviewing data ensures that the team can adapt and continue to deliver value.
8. Manage External Relationships Proactively
External legal providers are often necessary, but managing these relationships strategically is critical. Establish clear service-level agreements (SLAs) and key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure alignment with your goals. By proactively managing these relationships, legal teams can control costs while maintaining quality.
9. Develop and Empower Your Team
The success of any legal team hinges on its people. Investing in professional development, mentoring, and clear career progression is key to building a motivated and capable team. By aligning work with individual strengths and fostering collaboration, teams can achieve their full potential.
Accutrainee’s experience in providing the right people at the right time and being a partner in the mentoring process for junior legal professionals is often cited as one of our clear differentiators.
10. Embrace Continuous Improvement
The legal landscape is always evolving, and so must your team. Regularly reviewing and refining strategies, processes, and tools ensures your team stays ahead of the curve. Building a culture of continuous learning and adaptability is essential for long-term success.
Insights into Action
These ten fundamentals, distilled from the experiences of senior legal leaders, provide a practical roadmap for building and sustaining high-performing legal teams. Whether refining processes, leveraging technology, or empowering people, the key is to align legal services with the broader objectives of the organisation.
How Accutrainee Can Help
At Accutrainee, we specialise in supporting in-house legal teams by providing tailored resourcing solutions, junior legal professionals like paralegals, trainees and solicitors (NQ to 5 PQE), and mentoring. Whether you need to develop your team or manage workloads, we can help you achieve your goals efficiently and effectively.
For more information, visit www.accutrainee.com
